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Presidents outlast CMU in double OT

6 min read
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Though he looked a little worse for wear, Jesse Zubik knew he had to make one more big play in an afternoon that contained more than a few.

The Washington & Jefferson College wide receiver hauled in 17 passes for 201 yards and four scores, the last of which was a game-winning seven-yard touchdown pass in double overtime to give the Presidents a thrilling 55-52 win over a game Carnegie Mellon squad Saturday on homecoming at Cameron Stadium.

W&J moves to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference while CMU falls to 2-3 overall and 2-2 in the PAC. The win also gives the Presidents 21 straight at home, although for much of the second half it appeared the Tartans would be up to the task of ending the streak.

On the play before the game-winning score, Zubik hurt his thumb while reaching for an incomplete pass. However, the receiver shook it off and put on the cape to be a hero.

“I was just coming back and I (hurt) my thumb. It wasn’t moving the way I wanted it to move. Coach called the play and I started to shake my head. I didn’t want it. But it was overtime. Those were the plays you work for all offseason,” Zubik said.

Zubik’s 17 catches set a school record for receptions in a single game.

Presidents quarterback Pete Coughlin finished his afternoon with 31 completions in 49 attempts for 340 yards and seven scores. Austin Kemp kept the Presidents balanced with 159 yards on 25 carries.

W&J’s offense continued to put up impressive numbers as they have all season, rolling up 606 total yards. CMU’s offense also shined, gaining 502 yards as the two squads combined for a staggering 1,108 yards of offense.

W&J struck first in overtime when Coughlin scrambled into the end zone from five yards. Ted Ford’s extra point was good, making the score 49-42. CMU held serve when Sam Benger (40 carries, 160 yards) rolled into the end zone from 10 yards. Gabe Renna’s kick was clean, sending the game into a second overtime.

CMU took possession in the second OT and moved to the W&J 4. Benger was stopped short of the goal line on third down, forcing a Renna 21-yard field goal, giving the visitors a 52-49 lead.

All that did, however, was set up the chance for Zubik and Coughlin to be heroes.

After being ripped for 298 yards, the Presidents’ defense forced a punt on the Tartans’ first possession of the second half and W&J went to work starting from its own 17. Facing fourth-and-8 from the Tartans 20-yard line, Coughlin found Zubik for a 10-yard completion along the sideline and a first down. But two plays later, Coughlin was sacked by Bryan Khoury, the ball popped loose and was recovered by Tartans lineman Alex Danis, giving the ball to CMU deep in their own end.

But the Presidents’ defense stepped up and forced a three-and-out. It appeared that W&J would be in business at midfield, but Luke Merhaut was stripped of the ball by Tartans special-teams ace Frank Bello, who also recovered it at the CMU 48.

Quarterback Alex Cline directed a scoring drive from there. Benger climaxed the 52-yard march when he scampered around left end for a five-yard score, ballooning CMU’s lead to 35-21 with 3:09 left in the third quarter.

Sensing their home winning streak was in serious trouble, the Presidents turned to Coughlin and Kemp to bring them back. Coughlin made it a one-score game when he found Braydon Toy for a 15-yard touchdown, reducing the Tartans’ advantage to 35-28 late in the third.

W&J’s defense had a chance to swing the momentum in their favor as they faced a fourth-and-four on their own 32, but Cline converted the down when he found Alex Froimzon for a seven-yard completion. Two plays later, Cline zipped a 14-yard strike to Froimzon and a score, giving CMU a two-touchdown bulge.

But the Presidents would not go away. With 9:24 left in regulation, Coughlin beat a CMU blitz with a quick toss over the middle to Toy, who took it home for a 16-yard touchdown, bringing the Presidents within 42-35.

Coughlin, who has been as productive as any quarterback in Division III, said there was some tension along the sideline, but the confidence never wavered.

“There were a lot of nerves, but our team responded really well, I can’t say enough how proud I was of them,” Coughin added.

Again, the W&J defense, which was under seige most of the game, had a chance to get off the field when they put the Tartans in a third-and-six situation. This time, the defense held as Cline’s pass fell incomplete, forcing a Tartan punt.

Though the defense gave up 52 points, W&J coach Mike Sirianni noted it held in when it mattered most.

“They came up with some plays when we needed them,” he said. “We were able to force a couple punts there in the fourth quarter and held them to a field goal in overtime. Our kids just kept battling. They didn’t play a great game, but they made plays when they had to.”

Sirianni added he was not overly concerned about losing the lengthy winning streak at home, he just wanted to get the victory on homecoming,

“Oh, I don’t think too much about that, I just wanted to get the win today,” the coach commented.

The drama reached critical mass when Coughlin found Zubik streaking down the sideline for a 30-yard touchdown play that brought the crowd to its feet. It was his sixth scoring pass of the day and it knotted the score at 42 with 4:20 left.

Now the onus was on CMU’s offense. But the W&J defense was able to force a CMU punt from the Presidents’ 48. The punt was downed at the one, effectively ending regulation.

Cline finished with 18 completions in 32 attempts for 285 yards and three scores. He was not sacked and did not throw an interception.

Tartans coach Rich Lackner, who still remains two wins shy of 200 for his career, lauded his sophomore signal caller’s performance.

“He did a very fine job under tough circumstances,” Lackner said. “To come in here and play against that team on their homecoming and perform like that is something.”

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